1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for use in the rapid cooling of fluids in various containers of differing geometry, and more particularly to such devices in communication with freezer units, refrigerator-freezers, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices and methods have been employed in cooling beverages or fluids in containers from room temperature to consumption-pleasing low temperatures (or other desirable storage-type low temperatures), generally of about 5° C. The most common method is the use of commercial or household refrigerators or freezer units into which the beverage containers are statically placed. Air inside the conventional refrigerator or freezer is cooled, and the air cools the beverages or fluids. While effective, such cooling means entails the utilization of massive refrigerator and freezer space (especially in commercial establishments) which is costly and is at a premium, particularly when freezer or refrigerator space is generally required for other food storage purposes.
In addition to occupying a lot of space, these conventional refrigeration and freezer units require inordinate initial periods of time to cool a liquid such as a beverage, for example, from room temperature (20°-25° C.) to the desired 5° C., approximately an hour to several hours. If reasonably immediate consumption is required, such as at point of sale, at parties, or on very hot days, this time delay for cooling is unacceptable. Also, many individuals prefer beverages at temperatures colder than a conventional refrigerator can provide, e.g., 1-2° C. (or even at colder temperatures, as beer can be chilled down to −5° C.).
Accordingly, quick cooling devices have been developed specifically for use with beverage containers. Some of these devices, while generally effective in reducing the time for cooling beverages, nevertheless still require a minimum of about five minutes for the cooling of a standard 12 oz aluminum beverage can, still an inordinate amount of waiting time for a customer; this cooling lag time increases for larger containers, such as 16 oz or 20 oz soda or beer bottles and roughly 25 oz wine bottles.
Existing cooling devices operate on one of two general methods involving heat transfer. A first method involves cooling with ice such as embodied in a commercial device known as the Chill Wizzard and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,405 to Cretemeyer, III. This device provides for placement of a beverage can on a bed of ice to effect heat transfer and cooling. Since only a portion of the container is in contact with the ice, the container is rotated against the ice. In order to rotate the device, a suction cup connected to the spindle of a motor is attached to the bottom of the can. In addition, in order to maintain heat transfer-contact with the ice, the device provides for a constant mechanically-exerted contact pressure of the container against the ice to compensate for the melting and consequent reduction of height of the ice. Since ice can have substantially lower temperatures than the desired drinking temperature, heat exchange and beverage temperature lowering is facilitated and hastened. However, the Chill Wizzard device can only chill 12 oz cans and is unable to accommodate a variety of different-sized or -shaped containers. Further problems with this method are discussed below.
A second, less effective method involves conveying or placing the beverage containers into a cold water or bath. Because the container is stationary, cooling times for this method have been substantially longer than that for methods which utilize horizontal rotation of the container. This is also true because the water is stationary as well.
Another commercial device is the Vin Chilla (and similar products made by Breville and Salton), a bucket-shaped device for cooling wine bottles. A bottle is placed upright in the bucket and ice and water are added thereto. The device swirls the water around the bottle. Although the Vin Chilla commercial literature claims it can chill wine to a drinkable temperature in about 4 minutes, this period is only valid for cooling red wines, which are to be consumed at only 1-2 degrees below room temperature. A white wine requires up to 20 minutes of cooling to be brought to a desirable temperature, e.g., 5° C.
Despite its effectiveness in cooling (because of its low temperatures relative to water), the use of ice as a direct cooling medium can however be detrimental in certain common uses. When used for cooling carbonated beverages, particularly when such cooling is not carefully monitored, freezing of the beverage, with untoward consequences (i.e., the rupturing of the container and spilling of its contents), is possible. Specifically, the temperature of ice is rarely at 0° C. and is usually significantly lower. As a result, if the ice temperature is sufficiently low, freezing of the beverage within the container is possible, especially with extended cooling times. Since such containers are closed, it is difficult if not impossible to monitor temperature and phase conditions of the beverage during the cooling process to stop the process prior to any freezing. Under these conditions, with excessive cooling, partially frozen carbonated beverages will erupt when the container is opened. Though cold water is not subject to this detrimental effect with carbonated beverages, its use is however not as efficient in effecting the requisite rapid cooling.
One major improvement in this field of endeavor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,054 to Loibl et al., the same inventors as the instant inventors and which patent is assigned to the same entity to which the instant invention is assigned. Loibl et al. teach an extremely rapid method and device for cooling beverages. One or more beverage containers are rapidly rotated substantially along their respective longitudinal axes while being downwardly sprayed with a cooling water spray, with the water being recycled from a 0° C. ice water bath. The volumetric rate of the water in the water spray is sufficient to form a continuous coating on the rotating container. Rotation of the containers is effected in a horizontal direction, with the containers being nested between adjacent rotating rollers and rotated with a speed of between 200-500 rpm. Standard 12 oz. beverage cans can be cooled thereby from room temperature to a drinking temperature of 5° C. in under one minute. The teachings of the Loibl patent are herein incorporated by reference, particularly col. 2, line 55-col. 5, line 58.
Yet the prior Loibl device, while extremely effective, incorporates a number of spray jets positioned in various locations above the rotating containers and a number of rollers positioned below the containers. It is desirable to simplify this design. Moreover, it is desired to be able to incorporate the basic principles of Loibl '054 within a household refrigerator-freezer or freezer unit. One of the drawbacks of the original Loibl device is that it is a tabletop device or otherwise stand-alone device that requires a replenishible source of ice. It would be advantageous to incorporate the Loibl device into a refrigerator and take advantage of a cooling device that is already present in almost every home.